UN Security Council sets urgent meeting on Ukraine

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Friday morning on Ukraine.

Britain's U.N. Mission said Thursday it requested the meeting and later tweeted that it is set for 10 a.m. Friday.

The request follows Wednesday's downing of a Ukrainian air force fighter and Thursday's downing of a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane carrying 298 people over eastern Ukraine.

Britain proposed a Security Council press statement calling for "a full, thorough and independent international investigation into the incident."

The statement, obtained by The Associated Press, was circulated to all 15 council members, who must approve it before it can be issued.

The White House in a statement released late Thursday also called for a "full, credible, and unimpeded international investigation" as soon as possible.

Earlier, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said "there is clearly a need for a full and transparent international investigation" into the plane crash in Ukraine.

Ban said during a media event that the International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. agency, is closely monitoring the disaster involving the Malaysia Airlines plane.

"I offer my deep condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and people of Malaysia," Ban added.

Both Ukraine's government and the pro-Russia separatists fighting in the region have denied any responsibility for downing the aircraft.

Ukraine's U.N. Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev tweeted after Thursday's crash in a rebel-controlled area that "Ukraine will present the evidence of Russian military involvement into the Boeing crash. This crime should be fully investigated."